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Here's how to make ombré soap using the cold process, i.e. using sodium hydroxide and a combination of oils and butters. Just have an ideal rectangular silicone mould to hand and you're ready to go!
A mixture of vegetable oils and butters in combination with an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide was used to make green ombré soap. The mixture has been coloured with mica powder, but the colour you choose is up to you.The top of the soap was covered with more white glitter mica powder after it had set - but this is an optional decoration.Since any substitution of oil or butter in the recipe results in the need to recalculate it (for example, using soap calculators freely available online), the recipe is expressed in grams. At the same time, the total weight of the oils and butters(200 g) includes a 5% fat content (i.e. the oils are in 5% excess to the hydroxide, and so this part of them will remain unreacted and provide care to the skin when using the soap).
Want to make making green ombré soap easier? You've come to the right place. We'll give you a few pointersand tips on how to make cold process ombré soap.Sodium hydroxide is a strong base, so always use protective equipment when working with it. Remember to work in a well-ventilated room, away from pets and children. If skin is affected, always rinse the area thoroughly under a stream of cold water, or you can use diluted vinegar afterwards to neutralise any residual hydroxide. Diluted vinegar can also be used for the final cleaning of surfaces; immerse any utensils that have come into contact with the hydroxide or uncured soap in the vinegar solution for a few minutes, then wash them as usual. When the hydroxide dissolves, a large amount of heat is released, so you can replace about half of the demineralised water with ice also from this type of water. Do not use ordinary tap or boiled water - such water still contains minerals that will interfere with soap formation.Ideally, pour the hydroxide solution and also the dye oil solutions through a sieve. This will prevent the undissolved hydroxide granules from penetrating the soap, but also the formation of lumps of undissolved dye.When working with liquid soap, it is a good idea to proceed quickly, as the soap will thicken and harden on its own over time. It is important to maintain the same weight of soap for each layer. Therefore, use scales or a scoop to ensure that each coloured layer is the same thickness and that you get the desired ombré effect. You can also use phenolphthalein solution or papers containing phenolphthalein to check the pH of the green ombré soap. When using phenolphthalein papers, follow the same procedure as with litmus papers, the papers should not turn pink. If you use the solution, drop it on different parts of the soap, it should not turn pink anyway. A pink color indicates high pH values and thus unreacted hydroxide, such homemade soap is not safe to use.
Below you will find more information on the raw materials used, including their properties or how to substitute these raw materials.
Always use distilled or demineralised water to make soaps. We have already mentioned that the minerals in ordinary tap water cause undesirable reactions with sodium hydroxide, so avoid such water. This is because your soap may not solidify properly and reach a safe pH.
Without sodium hydroxide, the saponification process will not take place and you will not prepare solid soap cubes.Therefore, if you respect the use of this raw material, reach for ready-made soap masses, for example, and prepare your soaps from them. Do not change the weight of sodium hydroxide - it is tied to the amount and type of oils used. Handle it with care, it is a strong principle.
Olive oil is the basis for making many types of soaps. It provides mild and nourishing soaps,however, soaps with a high content can be softer and slightly slimy when used, so it is often combined with butters or coconut oil for optimum hardness and soap properties.
Olive oil can be substituted for another vegetable oil in a recipe, but such a recipe must be recalculated on a soap calculator as the amount of hydroxide and water needed will change. The same applies when substituting other oils and butters.
Another popular oil in soap making is coconut oil. This oil provides beautifully hard and foaming soaps. This is also why it combines very well with liquid vegetable oils. You can also reach for the refined version if you are looking for ways to reduce the price of raw materials, as the reaction with sodium hydroxide will be the same regardless of the refined or unrefined version of the oil.
Shea butter is what gives your soap its creamy lather and nourishing properties. In addition, it will give your soap a partial hardness (compared to olive oil). Thanks to the fat content, the unreacted portion of shea butter will moisturise the skin wonderfully.
Mica powders have been used to colour the soap. Mica powders are available in a wide variety of colors,so choose your favourite one. The added advantage of mica powders is that they are well stableeven in alkaline environments and so do not change colour. It is advisable to mix them in a little oil before addingand add through a sieve - this will prevent lumps of unmixed dye from forming.
Fragrance oil has been used to perfume the final product. These oils have the advantage of not having an intense colour and so will not interfere with the ombré effect of the soap. It is therefore advisable in this case to avoid dark essential oils, which, although they are an alternative to fragrance oils, some of which have an intense colouring, may also colour the final soap. However, it is also possible to omit fragrance or essential oils altogether. These substances are added in relatively high quantities as some of them react with sodium hydroxide, so an excess is necessary.
Titanium dioxide is a strong white substance which is used in the manufacture of soaps to lighten them and thus reduce the consumption of other colouring agents. It is advisable to select the type of titanium dioxide for use in oil and to mix this substance well in a small amount of oil before adding it to the soap (ideally through a sieve). You can also omit the titanium dioxide, but then you need to increase the dose of green mica powder by about 0.5 g.
IPA is a great helper not only in the production of soaps from soap masses, but also with the cold process technique. It helps to prevent soap dust - a white coating on soap that is mainly an aesthetic defect. You can also spray the individual cuts with IPA when cutting the soap to stop the soap from sticking and becoming covered in soap dust.
As mentioned, you can experiment with homemade recipes to achieve desired properties. However, many factors such as humidity, temperature, quality of ingredients and storage can affect the final result. Before using any raw material to make a cosmetic product, familiarize yourself with its properties, recommended dosage, storage conditions or safe handling. Any raw material may have the potential to cause an allergic reaction in sensitive individuals, so before using a product, we recommend that you find out if you suffer from an allergy to any of the raw materials or the overall product, e.g. by a skin test. If you have very sensitive or very acne-prone skin, or other skin and health problems, we recommend that you consult a medical professional before applying a new product to your skin, whether it is a homemade cosmetic product, a pure raw material or a commercially available product.
With green ombré soap, just like with the pink soap from the previous post, you'll bring a little color to your bathroom. In addition, you can constantly enjoy the natural composition of these soaps. Have you tried making green ombré soap? Let us know how you did. Your questions, insightsemail us at marketing@handymade.sk and we can exchange knowledge. We look forward to hearing from you.We sincerely thank our dear Ivana Jačalová for her great posts with instructions like this one on making green ombré soap.Until the soaping, my friends.